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“I have work to do.” Leaving Harper alone wasn’t easy, but he turned to sit at the table. After booting up the computer, he did a quick search on Neil Otterson. It appeared the guy’s trial was scheduled to begin in two weeks. Sooner than he would have anticipated, since even insisting on a speedy trial took upward of eight to ten months.
Not important. Unless, of course, Otterson had purchased his gun illegally from Feldman. Yet even if he had, that wouldn’t explain why a guy who’d shot two men in alleged self-defense would come after Harper now.
He forced himself to concentrate on the matter at hand. As he was still in the Wisconsin Circuit Court database, he entered Ellis Starkey’s name.
Starkey had no criminal record either.
When he entered Jacob Feldman’s name, he was surprised to see the guy had a prior burglary conviction. Nothing more serious, though. It was a stretch to go from robbing someone to buying and selling guns.
He wondered if Harper had known about Feldman’s past burglary arrest. Then he decided it didn’t matter. She had moved on, filing for divorce just before Feldman had been arrested. Sitting back in the chair, he mentally reviewed what little he knew about the guy’s arrest. Hadn’t Banner and Perkins mentioned an anonymous tip claiming Feldman’s business not being legit?
Had Starkey made that call? If so, it would also explain why the guy had been murdered execution style. A warning to any others who might be involved not to try the same thing.
Since the anonymous call had come through a burner phone, bought with cash from a place that didn’t have security cameras, the source had been a dead end.
Like Starkey himself was dead.
Giving himself a mental shake, he tried to think of another avenue to pursue. His thoughts kept coming back to the two ATF agents, Steve Banner and Bryon Perkins. There was no reason to suspect either of them of being dirty. He was letting the recent events mess with his head.
They’d been found at his place by a tracking device on Harper’s car. Or her phone.
Probably both.
But that didn’t explain how they’d been found so quickly at the rental property. Even if he wanted to suspect the ATF agents, they didn’t know where they were staying.
Yet the ATF could easily assume that the rental would be under his name or Brock’s.
With a sigh, he stood and closed the computer. He moved into the doorway between their rooms as Harper bent and picked up her flat dress shoes.
“You want me to toss them for you?” he asked.
“I just noticed a bump inside.” She began poking at the interior of one shoe. “The same spot where I ended up with a bad blister.”
“A crack in the sole?”
She ruthlessly pulled the bottom insert out. A small flat disk came flying out with it. His gaze widened as the implication sank deep.
Another tracking device?
“Let me see that.” He scooped it up, his blood running cold when he saw the fine lines threaded through it. Then he tossed it into the garbage near the desk in her room. “We need to get out of here.”
“And go where?” To her credit, Harper didn’t argue as she reached for her coat.
Using his radio, he called Brock. “We found another tracker in Harper’s shoe. I need you and Joe to turn around to come back here ASAP!”
“On our way,” Brock said.
His next call was to Gary Campbell. “Keep your eye on those cameras. We’re expecting company.”
“Got it,” Gary said.
“Shouldn’t we leave now?” Harper asked, standing beside him. “Should I leave my purse too?”
“Yes. Drop the purse with everything inside next to the shoes. Toss your coat too. We won’t leave until we have backup in place.” He offered her his coat, then hunkered near the window. He didn’t have a wide enough view of their surroundings but trusted that Gary would pick up anyone creeping toward them via his cameras.
Hopefully in time to prevent another shoot-out like the one that had taken place last month with Elly as the target. They really had to stop using Gary’s place as a hideout. The poor guy was getting far more than he’d bargained for.
His phone rang. Seeing Gary’s name, his gut clenched. “What do you have?”
